By Sachet A. Sullivan | The Zion Times
Ten-year-old Dalilah Loutzenhiser doesn’t just ride horses — she lives cowgirl sass. Known for her sparkle, quick wit, and determination, Dalilah is as comfortable cracking jokes as she is riding into an arena.
That spirit has carried her through heartbreak. Just weeks ago, Dalilah lost her beloved horse, Splash, in a tragic trailer accident after the Iron County Fair. Splash wasn’t just a horse — she was Dalilah’s teammate, her best friend, and the partner who matched her sparkle stride for stride.
Instead of slowing down, Dalilah has leaned into her grit. Her bedroom shelves and 4-H displays are lined with belt buckles, ribbons, and awards in showmanship and barrel racing. When she isn’t training, she runs her small business, Cowgirl Creations, where she makes earrings, boot and saddle jewelry, and other rhinestone-covered accessories.
Cowgirl Creations is more than a hobby. The jewelry she designs and sells helps pay for tack, entry fees, and other supplies needed to keep her in the saddle. It also helped fund Splash, making the mare not just a family horse but a dream Dalilah worked hard to bring to life.
Investing in Her Dreams
Dalilah’s cowgirl spirit shows not only in the arena but in the way she worked to fund her own dreams. When it came time to buy Splash, she put in $3,000 she had saved from her business, helping her family purchase her first training horse. The experience taught Dalilah the value of partnership — and helped turn her dream into a reality through hard work.
Remembering Splash
In a recent interview with The Zion Times, Dalilah sat at her kitchen table painting a toy horse.
“This is my horse, Splash. She had hearts all over her,” Dalilah said proudly, pointing to a photo beside her of the mare — a beautiful brown horse with white markings shaped like hearts. She quickly set the toy horse aside and picked up the picture of the best friend who had carried her through the arena.
It was a small but powerful moment that showed the bond she shared with Splash, her companion in the arena and her best friend in life. Unfortunately, due to the accident, that bond was cut short just weeks earlier. For Dalilah, the loss was easier to bear with the thought that Splash wasn’t gone forever but had found a place beside someone she loved.
“She’s with my grandpa,” Dalilah said, reminiscing about the man who first sparked her love of horses and helped her grow into the family’s first-generation cowgirl.
As Dalilah shared memories of Splash and her grandfather, her mother, Danielle Loutzenhiser, asked what she had said after her grandpa went to heaven.
“He went to IFA and bought her a halter before he passed away,” Dalilah quickly responded, her smile carrying both the innocence of a child and the love of a granddaughter holding on to his final gift.
Time With Splash
Dalilah’s mother recalled how the family first found Splash. Listed on KSL as a ranch horse in Central, Utah, the 13-year-old mare was already seasoned when they brought her home in January. With Dalilah, Splash began training in barrels, showmanship, and daily riding. In just a few months, the two built a partnership that carried Dalilah through practices, competitions, and quiet moments in the stable.
“She kicked,” Dalilah interrupted with a grin as her mother spoke. “She did like to kick,” her mother replied with a laugh. “And she liked to crowhop when she wanted to lope,” Dalilah added, describing how Splash’s back feet would jump up before settling into a lope. “It’s like a ride.” Her mother chimed in with a smile, “We always said she was feisty, huh?” “Yeah, she was a rollercoaster!” Dalilah said with a reminiscent glee.
Ginger, the Loyal Mare
In the backyard, Dalilah also spent her days with Ginger, her 27-year-old retired horse. Ginger loves Apples & Oats and often follows Dalilah around the stable, gently nudging until she gets a treat. If you’re lucky, sometimes you can catch Ginger hiding a treat in her cheek, leaving a softball-sized bulge on the side of her face, a signature trick that always makes Dalilah laugh. With the recent loss of Splash, Dalilah says Ginger seems quieter, lingering in the barn as if waiting for her friend to return.
“Ginger misses Splash,” Dalilah says, slipping the old mare a treat as Ginger looks around the barn, searching for her companion.
Dalilah loves showing off what Ginger can still do. In the backyard, she demonstrated how the old mare will lower her head on command, back up with just a tug of the reins, and even let Dalilah climb on bareback without a saddle.
Where It All Began
Dalilah’s love for horses started on her grandpa’s ranch. It was there, surrounded by pastures and the steady rhythm of ranch life, that she first learned what it meant to be around horses. Her grandpa encouraged her curiosity, letting her help with chores, brush the horses, and climb into the saddle for the first time.
When her grandfather later got sick and moved out to be closer to family, he brought his horse with him. After his passing, Dalilah’s grandfather left her the mare.
Dalilah’s mother described the horse as “old and not the easiest ride,” especially for someone just starting out.
“She did her first pageant on him and got thrown off,” her mother teased with a smile. Dalilah’s passion for being a cowgirl grew quickly with her grandpa’s horse and helped shape her into the cowgirl she is today.
Pageant Princess
Dalilah also serves as Miss Iron County Princess First Attendant, a role that puts her in the spotlight at parades, rodeos, and community events. It’s a chance for her to bring her sass and sparkle to the stage and show the audience what cowgirl spirit is really about.
Over the weekend, Dalilah’s resilience and grit could be seen when she entered the Western Stampede Rodeo as Miss Iron County Princess First Attendant. Within seconds of her ride, rain began pouring down — with parts of southern Utah receiving more than an inch of rain in an hour. While the storm scattered the crowd, Dalilah held her seat on the horse and kept her hat on through the rain.
Thanks to fellow cowgirl Danika Marshall, who lent Dalilah a horse for the evening, she was able to carry out her role as Miss Iron County Princess First Attendant.
Ginger’s Last Competition
The morning after the rodeo, Dalilah showed up in sparkles and spurs, ready to ride Ginger for the last time at the Color Country Equestrian Show. Together, they placed three times in third and once in fourth.
“Ginger gave Dalilah everything she had, as she always does, and never let her down,” said Dalilah’s mother. “My heart couldn’t be prouder of them both.”
Riding Into the Future
Dalilah isn’t slowing down. She dreams of running barrels again, chasing 19-second times, and carrying her princess title into the next rodeo season. To do that, she needs a new horse.
The community is rallying around her with a fundraiser to help make that happen. Donations can be made directly through her mother’s Venmo: @Danielle-Loutzenhiser-1 or through a GoFundMe started by the community.
“She and Splash were the best of friends,” family friend Aubrey Stephensen shared in a Facebook post that quickly spread through the community. “Horses like Splash are one in a million. This little girl deserves the chance to keep chasing her dreams.”
So far, with the help of the community, Dalilah has raised approximately $3,000 toward her new horse.
“I’m just so thankful and overwhelmed by all the love she’s received,” her mother said, reflecting on the generosity of the community.
For Dalilah, sass isn’t just attitude — it’s resilience, sparkle, and strength. With the community’s help Dalilah will be riding again!
Fundraiser by Vicki Spring : Help My Granddaughter Dalilah Heal After Losing Her Horse
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